The subcompact SUV segment is exploding in Canada. The increase in the price of compacts explains this, but there is also a lot of interest in less imposing vehicles. It is therefore within the framework of the New York Auto Show that Kia unveils the second generation of the Seltos, which has quickly become one of the manufacturer’s volume vehicles.
Moreover, Kia surpassed the sales of the Toyota Corolla Cross, the Mazda CX-30 and the Honda HR-V in 2025, which says a lot about its success. A product which today fits more closely with the style of the brand’s other products, also featuring a particularly attractive dress. A considerable advantage over the Hyundai Kona (its close cousin) for which the appreciation of the style is less unanimous.
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Kia, however, arrives with a Seltos that is a bit more imposing than its predecessor, offering a wheelbase 60 mm longer. A more modern and versatile vehicle which will offer more loading space as well as a modernized interior offering as standard these now traditional 12.3-inch superimposed screens, split by a 5-inch digital screen used for heating/air conditioning controls.
The Korean manufacturer is also placing more emphasis on safety and driving assistants by increasing the features offered as standard. For example, forward and reverse parking assistance, blind spot and lane change detection and cross-traffic alert. Offered as standard, these technologies are accompanied by a more advanced digital service including the possibility of cloud updates as well as the use of a digital key.
On the technical side, the Seltos will first be offered this summer with the two already known engines: the 2 liter atmospheric (147 horsepower) and 1.6 liter turbo (190 horsepower). However, Kia will also offer a hybrid engine from the fall on which we currently have few details, other than that it will be accompanied by e-AWD technology without a driveshaft.
This therefore means the presence of an electric motor at the rear axle to activate the four-wheel drive, making it possible to optimize energy efficiency. A 6-speed dual-clutch sequential gearbox will also be part of the mechanical combination, which will allow Kia to better compete with the segment-leading Toyota Corolla Cross and Subaru Crosstrek.
Kia is therefore ahead of Hyundai, which should normally unveil an evolution of the Kona shortly. Will the latter also offer a hybrid engine next year? Very possible. But in the meantime, Kia confirms the arrival of this technology in dealerships by the end of the year, while the gasoline versions will be on sale this summer.
